Proto-Slavic
Etymology
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium .)
Suffix
*-nь f
Deverbative, creates nouns
From verbs ending in -V-
*pěsnь ( “ song ” ) ← *pěti ( “ to sing ” )
*basnь ( “ tale ” ) ← *ba- ( “ to tell ” )
*žiznь ( “ life ” ) ← *žiti ( “ to live ” )
*kuznь ( “ forge, smithy ” ) ← *ku- ( “ to forge ” )
From verbs ending in -a/V-
*kajaznь ( “ sorrow ” ) ← *kajati ( “ to regret ” )
*prijaznь ( “ friendship ” ) ← *prijati ( “ to favor, to please ” )
From verbs eniding in -C/j-
*bornь ( “ standoff, battle ” ) ← *borti ( “ to fight, to wrestle ” )
*dolnь ( “ palm of hand ” ) ← Pre-Slavic *dolti ( “ to rub, to wreck ” )
*kolnь ( “ slaughter ” ) ← *kolti ( “ to stab, cleave ” )
technically *dьnь ( “ day ” ) ← Pre-Slavic *diti ( “ to emerge, to brighten ” )
From verbs ending in -ě- , -ě/i-
*bojaznь ( “ fear, awe ” ) ← *bojati ( “ to fear ” )
*bolěznь ( “ pain, agony ” ) ← *bolěti ( “ to hurt ” )
*grěnь ( “ blaze ” ) ← *grěti ( “ to heat, to shine ” )
*lěnь ( “ sloth ” ) ← Pre-Slavic *lětь ( “ to allow, to let ” ) ( preserved only in adverb form )
From verbs ending in -a- :
*dьranь ( “ tearing, wrench, trash ” ) ← *dьrati ( “ to tear ” )
*bьranь ( “ yield ” ) ← *bьrati ( “ to pick up ” )
*zařanь ( “ morning, dayspring ” ) ← *ozařati ( “ to elluminate ” )
*oranь ( “ plowing ” ) ← *orati ( “ to plow ” )
Declension
* The second form occurs in languages that contract early across /j/ (e.g. Czech), while the first form occurs in languages that do not (e.g. Russian).
See also
Derived terms